A master plan for the development of 6,000 homes on the largest industrial land bank to be regenerated since the Dublin docklands has been released for public consultation by Dublin City Council.
The Ballyboggan master plan will govern the redevelopment of 77 hectare of land at the Dublin Industrial Estate opposite Glasnevin Cemetery, just 3km from the city centre.
The vast tract of land stretches from the Finglas Road in Glasnevin to the east, Ratoath Road at Ashtown to the west, Cabra to the south and Tolka Valley Park, which separates Cabra and Finglas, to the north.
The Maynooth rail line and the Royal Canal run east-west through the site, while the Luas green line starts services at Broombridge and runs south towards the city. This station will see a significant increase in services in the coming years with the extension of the Luas from Broombridge to Finglas and the planned Dart+ West line.
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The council first proposed the redevelopment of the industrial estate for housing almost decade ago, due to its proximity to established residential areas and its declining use for enterprise and employment.
The estate is currently zoned for industrial use, which does not permit housing, but the council plans to rezone the land as a strategic development and regeneration area which will make residential the predominant land use, while retaining the capacity for enterprise and employment uses. The council envisages 75 per cent of the land will be used for homes and 25 per cent for enterprise and community uses, which will include schools.
Such is the size of the estate that the council has divided it into seven “distinct character areas” with two “neighbourhood centres” anchoring the district. The first neighbourhood centre, or “urban village” will be located around Broombridge station with shops, community buildings and a public plaza, as well as apartments. The second, the Slaney Road neighbourhood centre, will be towards the east of the district and will include a site for at least one primary school.
The centre and the extreme west of the area, towards Ashtown/Pelletstown, will be largely residential in nature, while the north of the site facing on to Ballyboggan Road will have a mix of employment and residential uses. The area along the Royal Canal will form a “flagship linear park” the master plan says.
Densities of 100-250 units per hectare are planned, but heights are remaining predominately low-rise at three to four storeys and two to three storeys at the Glasnevin end surrounding the Claremont estate. There will be a smaller number of buildings between four and six storeys, and potential for up to eight storeys near Broombridge station. The plan identifies four sites for buildings of “amplified height” but while the plan does not indicate a maximum, it is unlikely these buildings would exceed 10 storeys.
This master plan has been developed in accordance with the principles of “transport-orientated development” the council said, to make particular use of the tram and train links. However, while it claims a “pedestrian first” approach and “supports a low car zone” the council proposes to allow one parking space per residential unit “where justified”.
One-bedroom or “studio-type units” will be kept to a minimum the council said, with a greater emphasis on providing two-bed and “family-size apartments”. The master plan also seeks to provide homes for older people to downsize.
The majority of the land is in private ownership but the council said it would be working with the Land Development Agency and would consider land acquisition if there was “unreasonable delay” in sites being brought forward for development.
The master plan is available for consultation until May 12th.
